The Headstone
by Markition Necrovius
Summary: When Sasuke dies leaving Itachi alive, he can't help but visit his grave.


I always knew your hate wasn't strong enough. But I must have convinced myself that it would suffice somewhere along the way. You had the potential to reach greater heights than I did, and I knew it would take you much longer than it ever did me to get to that point. But I thought that showing you every second of the hour-long massacre, that night the clan fell...I though the Tsukoyomi would be enough. That your hate would be strong enough to carry you.

Looking at what is before me, I realize that it wasn't.

There is always a bond between siblings. A younger must always strive to overcome the elder's shadow. And many never succeed that. But that one, universal bond was something I could never break. Didn't want to break. Love is easy enough to turn to hate for someone with nothing to loose. But hate, as easy as it it to make, is hard to live on. It is a bitter fruit.

I learned that the hard way, I think. Fighting in all those missions, at first for the love of the clan, for my loyalties, was easy to do. Shedding the blood of the enemy was simple enough when I fought for something I valued. But when I began to hate it, all of it, things became so much harder.

That first betrayal, the murder of Shisui, was so damn hard. I put everything I had into it. All of the hate I had, all of the desire for the Mangekyu in me. Hating them was so easy. Acting on that hate wore on me more than anything I've ever done.

And I think that is what happened to you. Wasn't it, Sasuke? Your love turned to hate and you hated until you couldn't anymore. And you realized that without your hate, you had nothing. You couldn't go back to the village you'd forsaken. And you had made your home in a snake's den, ready to be eaten whole if you let your guard down.

I understand what you did, but I can't help feeling bitter. I depended on you for a purpose, as much as you did me. You were the one I wanted to die at the hand of. Sure, the Kyuubi might very well one day become more powerful than I. I'm sure he would gladly kill me. I could also slit my wrists, couldn't I? But...I don't think I have the drive to anymore.

I set up the whole scheme when I still had my passion. When the memory of Shisui's blood on my hands was still fresh in my mind. Killing the clan fortified the guilt, even though I'd completed a necessary task.

But so much time has past. I'm welcome in the Akatsuki, so long as I can fight, and Kisame has become almost as close of a friend as Shisui was. So where is the reminder of my guilt now? There is nothing to give me reason, if you aren't there.

I'll die early of these accursed eyes, anyway.

There was a lot I wanted you to know before you died. Like how I envied your position when we were little; escaping father's constant watch, unlike me. Like how every time you asked for help with the kunai arts and I said no, I beat myself up for it later. I was never the best brother, but there was nothing in the past I would change.

So, considering I can't tell you, I'm at a loss as to what to do. I'm staring at your headstone, Kisame looking bored beside me.

_Uchiha Sasuke_

_Valued ninja_

_Beloved friend_

_May he rest in peace_

That is what you headstone says. I wonder if you can read it? It would be ironic, seeing me standing by your grave like this. But really, if I hadn't brought your body back here, you'd be rotting in the field I found you in. You should thank me.

If I left a letter, could you read it? Would you care? There must be something I can do. Since you obviously didn't get your revenge.

So I decide finally just to write it on your headstone. Etched with a kunai, small in a corner, unnoticeable. So, if you can read your own headstone, you'll see it.

I walk away slowly. I never thought, for one moment, that you would fail me like you did. Betrayal is bitter, but I suppose I deserved it. So I'll pick up the new life I've made, hoping the fragile glass of it doesn't break like the last one.

And I'll leave you with that message.

_Uchiha Sasuke_

_Valued ninja_

_Beloved friend_

_May he rest in peace_

And just below it,

_I'm still waiting_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Author's Notes:_

_Alright...so this is the first fic I've posted. Hope you guys like it...even though it's kinda short._

_To answer any questions; when I wrote that, I had in mind Sasuke killing himself, though I never have Itachi say anything about it. The time frame was maybe a year after he left to live with Orochimaru. It's completely out of character for Sasuke to kill himself, but I did this to explore Itachi's reaction if he did._

_Review, please. _


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